Swab



P. F. DEF'ORD July 2, 1935.

SWAB

Filed July 21, 1935 INVENTOR. PHUL F0F0R0 Patented July 2, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SWAB Paul F. Deford, Pasadena,

Drug Company, Ltd., Pasadena,

poration of Idaho (JaliL, assignor to D4 Calif a cor- Application July 21, 1933, Serial No. 681,532

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in swabs.

The general object of this invention is to provide an improved swab which is adapted for gen- 5 eral use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for securing the absorbent material to the stem of a swab.

A further object of the invention is to pro- 10 vide a swab wherein means is provided whereby the stem will remain dry.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a swab which includes absorbent material permanently fastened to a stem whereby safety may be insured in usingthe swab in treatment of the nose, throat, cars, etc. since there is no likelihood of the absorbent material becoming loosened or detached.

Other objects and the advantages of this in- 20 vention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a pair of my improved swabs;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the swab stem;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the stem after treatment,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the absorbent material before being positioned on the stem;

10 Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one end of the swab shown in Fig. l partly in section and showing the swab partly completed;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the completed swab; and,

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a single ended swab.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters I have. indicated my improved swab generally at [0. As shown the swab l comprises a stem 40 I2 having a swab head [3 formed of absorbent material at each end. In this description, I refer to the swab as being made with double swabbing ends but it will be understood that the swab may be made with a single swabbing end.

The stem I2 is made of wood or other suitable material and is saturated to a desired depth with a sterilizing material such as a two percent (2%) solution of mercurochrome. The end portions of the stem I2 are then dipped in a glue-like mate rial M such as a mixture of gumtragacanth, boric acid and water which forms a shell-like portion extending over the ends of the stem and therealong a predetermined distance.

The swab head I3 is formed of a square of absorbent cotton or other desired material l as shown in Fig.4. After the material [4 is placed on the stem one end of the stem is positioned on the square of cotton I5 and the cotton is preferably rolled upon the stem into a conical formation, as shown in Fig. 5. This glues the interior 5 of the swab head to the stem.

The free end of the swab head extends beyond the adjacent end of the stem l2 and the inner end of the swab head may extend inward on the stem beyond the inner end of the material I4. 10 After the cone of cotton l5 has been positioned on the stem l2 a glue-like material l6, such as a mixture of orange gum shellac and pure grain alcohol is positioned over the inner portion of the swab head (see Fig. 6). The material l6 extends from the extreme inner end of the swab. head to a location which may be approximately intermediate the length of the material It. The swab head l3 at the opposite end of the stem I2 is formed thereon in a similar manner.

The device I0 may be used as thus formed as a double ended swab or the stem l2 may be severed intermediate its length to form a single ended swab as indicated at I! in Fig. '7.

Furthermore, the material l5 may be rolled upon the stem to form flat ended swabs as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be rolled upon the stem to form a round ended swab as indicated at H! in Fig. 7.

By saturating the stem I2 to a desired depth with mercurochrome the surface capillary attraction of the stem is diminished. Further, the interior and exterior cements act as a stop preventing capillary attraction in the swab stick.

As a result the stem l 2 will not absorb moisture from the swab head and will not become soggy and flex and the coating [6 constitutes a shield which retains moisture in the material l5 and prevents it running along the stem l2.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented an improved swab wherein the absorbent material is permanently attached to the stem and cannot pull off or become displaced and that this swab is simple in construction and highly efficient in use.

Having thus described my invention, 1'. claim:

A swab including a stem having a swab head at one end thereof, said stem being made of wood and saturated to a desired depth with sterilizing material, a coating of adhesive material over one end of said stem, said swab head being formed of a piece of absorbent material wound upon said stem in conical formation, the outer end of said absorbent material extending beyond the adjacent end of said stem and the inner end of said absorbent material extending inward along said stem and over and beyond the inner end of said adhesive material, and a. second coating of adhesive material which is insoluble in oils and 5 water solutions positioned over said absorbent material adjacent the inner end thereof and secured thereto, said second adhesive material extending from the inner end of said absorbent material to a location spaced from and overlapping said first adhesive material.

PAUL F. DEFORD. 

